CARE GUIDE: Home Services
Home Services help people live safely and securely on their own, providing assistance with everyday household activities. These services include the following:
Emergency Response Systems
This service provides an electronic device within a client's home so they can communicate in an emergency, with staff available 24 hours a day that can summon assistance.[Top]
Home Help/Homemaking
Trained personnel assist with routine household activities such as light housekeeping, shopping and meal preparation. Homemaking services include: house cleaning, doing laundry, ironing, mending, shopping, banking, paying bills, planning menus, preparing meals and caring for children. [Top]
Home Maintenance and Repair
This support service provides or arranges for an individual worker or company to undertake home maintenance or make repairs. This may be required on a regular basis, occasionally or for one time only. Generally, these tasks are beyond the client's capability to undertake or arrange by themselves. This can include property maintenance such as snow shoveling, yard maintenance and exterior window washing. One-time jobs include helping the client arrange home repairs and renovations such as decorating, plumbing, electrical work, new furnaces, roofs and structural modifications for personal safety, access or improved quality of life.[Top]
Intervention and Assistance Services
This support service provides intervention and assistance to vulnerable adults, at-risk older adults and persons with physical disabilities and their caregivers. Clients may include abused, unmotivated and alienated persons and those not served by other agencies or resources. The goal of this service is to provide support and crisis intervention in critical situations, and stability and assistance in planning for the longer term. Workers are assigned to assist clients in coping with everyday tasks, using a case management model. Examples of client services include: problem identification, referral and services coordination, assistance in filling out forms, making applications for various services and programs, advice on nutrition, budgeting, household management, and long-term institutional placement. [Top]
Life Skills Services (Disabled)
Life Skills Services are provided in addition to Personal Support and Attendant Services. These services help clients and family members learn how to perform daily living activities and learn the skills necessary to increase personal independence. These services are available for clients living in supportive housing with family, as well as those living in institutions preparing for living arrangements within the community. Skills taught include: physical development and health, sensory-motor development, communications and social skills, emotional and spiritual development, independent living skills and recreation and leisure skills. [Top]
Security Checks or Reassurance Service
This support service was designed to provide isolated persons with regular contact to reassure them that help is always available when needed. This service can be provided through a personal visit to the home, a telephone call or by other means. Security visits or reassurance visits to the home are generally on a one-time or infrequent basis as part of a general security and safety program. A general security check includes a short daily telephone call inquiring about the client's general health and safety. [Top]
There are a number of care options available
from community agencies. Select one of the following for information
about these options: